Deoprayag

At 2700 feet, Deoprayag ("Divine confluence") is the meeting place for the Bhagirathi River (left) and the Alakananda River, the two major Himalayan tributaries of the Ganges. Above Deoprayag each of these rivers has their separate identities, below it there is only the Ganges.

The bathing ghat at Deoprayag is built with multiple levels to accommodate different water levels during the monsoon. It is also the winter home of the Badrinath pandas (hereditary pilgrimage priests).

June 2005

Here's a closer shot of the bathing ghat at the confluence. This was taken in June 2005 when the water was low, but the different layers of stairways and levels are plainly visible, as are the enclosed areas in which people can bathe without worry.

Here's a shot further up the hill, showing both the ancient Raghunath temple (center, with the tower on top) and the way that the town is built vertically, hugging the line of the hills. Raghunath is another name for Rama, and the temple contains a six-foot tall sculptured image. The temple's importance can also be seen in that a stairway leads directly from the temple to the bathing ghat below.

June 2005

Here's one of the old suspension footbridges that made such an incredible difference in people's lives--enabling them to cross the river safely in all seasons. This was taken at the end of October 2005, when the Tehri dam upstream was holding back most of the Bhagirathi's waters to fill up the space behind the dam; this is why the river looks almost dry.

Yanunotri

Hinduism Picture Index

Jim Lochtefeld's Main Page

Carthage Home Page

These pages are in progress.
Page maintained by James G. Lochtefeld.
Last modified 28 January 2006